WDW Daily News

Many of you know that Disney After Hours is pretty amazing with little-to-no wait time for favorite attractions and experiences at Magic Kingdom® Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Today, we’re excited to share the good news that additional Disney After Hours dates are now available and two special celebration nights are coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  

Here are the new dates for each park at the Walt Disney World Resort:

• Magic Kingdom: May 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom:  May 7, 14 and 21; and June 4, 11 and 18.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: May 1, 4, 10, 17, 24 and 31; and June 14, 21 and 28.

And at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there are two special celebration nights:

May 1 – You can celebrate Disney’s Hollywood Studios 30^th anniversary with special anniversary merchandise, additional character greetings and more food & beverage offerings to purchase.

May 4 – You can celebrate May the Fourth dressed in their best galactic Star Wars attire.*  They can experience epic Character Encounters including Chewbacca with REY, Darth Vadar, Kylo Ren with CAPTAIN PHASMA, Ewoks, Jawas and imperial stormtroopers. Plus, specialty treats available for purchase. *Be sure your Clients costume fits within park guidelines.

If you aren’t familiar with Disney After Hours events, they’re your opportunity to experience the magic of a Disney theme park for three hours after regular park hours, with limited attendance, which means little-to-no wait for attractions, experiences and character greetings.  The event ticket also allows your Clients early entry into the park, beginning at 7 p.m.

Ice cream, popcorn and select beverages are also included in the Disney After Hours admission, which is a separately priced ticket from daytime park admission. Other food offerings will be available at each of the Parks.

All Disney After Hours event tickets cost $125 + tax for advance purchase and $129 + tax for day-of purchases. 

Last fall, we shared some exciting updates on the multi-year transformation of Epcot® – including the news that “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” will end its run later this summer and that a new limited-time experience called “Epcot Forever” will debut in fall 2019. At the time we shared this news, we promised that we’d celebrate “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” with Guests in a very special way.

That’s why we’re thrilled to share that we’ll stream “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” live from Epcot on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 8:55 p.m. ET. To watch the stream, simply visit the Disney Parks Blog on March 28! We’ll also have an exciting “look ahead” at the fun in store for Walt Disney World Resort guests in 2019.

Stay tuned to for updates on the new nighttime spectacular and everything else coming to Epcot, and in the meantime, share your favorite memories of “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” with us in the comments.

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With so many exciting new offerings coming to Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort in 2019 and beyond, there is so much to look forward to as you plan your client’s next visit. When planning, be sure to take a moment to look at the latest rules for each destination, which are available on the Disney Travel Agents website, as well as at DisneyWorld.com/Rules and Disneyland.com/Rules. These pages are an excellent planning resource and provide detail on a variety of policies for the parks, Disney Resort hotels and beyond.

We make updates to these rules from time to time and are implementing some changes, including the removal of smoking areas within parks and the adjustment of park policies related to stroller size, wagons and loose ice.

Here are a few tips to help ensure a smooth arrival during your next visit.

STROLLERS

Beginning May 1, we are adjusting our guidelines on stroller sizes, which will require them to be no larger than 31″ (79cm) wide and 52″ (132cm) long or smaller. The good news – many of the strollers on the market, including many double jogging strollers, fit within these size guidelines. Also, just a reminder that wagons are not permitted in our parks. Beginning May 1, stroller wagons will also no longer be permitted. These updates are designed to help guest flow and ease congestion, making the parks more enjoyable for everyone.

TIP: The smaller your stroller, the easier it is to navigate and maneuver the parks. At Walt Disney World Resort, your clients can rent a single or double stroller once they arrive, and they can be rented each day. Or, they can choose a Length of Stay Rental, which will save them time and money. While Walt Disney World already offers a double stroller rental, DisneylandResort will soon offer one too.

SMOKING 

Also beginning May 1, smoking areas will no longer be present inside Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks, water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex or Downtown Disney in California.

TIP: Designated smoking areas will be available outside the entrances to the areas listed above, and at Disney Springs in Florida. For guests who have room or dining reservations, smoking areas are also available at Disney Resort hotels.

LOOSE ICE 

Beginning today, if your clients plan to bring a cooler or cooler bag to store snacks and drinks for theme park or water park adventures, it’s important to know that loose or dry ice are no longer permitted.

TIP:  We recommend your clients use re-useable ice packs instead. Complimentary cups of ice are available at Food & Beverage locations inside the parks if needed.

The toys hit the road in “Toy Story 4” alongside friends—new and old—foes and, of course, Forky. Filmmakers welcomed Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves and Ally Maki to the toy box today, revealing the three new characters they help bring to life. “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019.

Check out the new trailer and poster for “Toy Story 4” below.

Check out the new poster for Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” below.

The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios’ grand conclusion to twenty-two films, “Avengers: Endgame.”

Kevin Feige produces “Avengers: Endgame,” and Anthony and Joe Russo are the directors. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Trinh Tran, Jon Favreau and Stan Lee are the executive producers, and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay.

Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” hits U.S. theaters on April 26, 2019.

This summer, Disney cruisers are in for a double dose of fun when special 4- and 5-night cruises visit our private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, not once, but twice!

With two days in paradise at Castaway Cay, plus a chance to swim with dolphins or visit the world-famous Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas, these envy-worth sailings aboard the Disney Dream in June and July are an incredible option for your summer vacation. The 5-night voyages also include a bonus day at sea so Guests have even more time to soak up fun and relaxation aboard the ship.

What makes a visit to Castaway Cay so amazing? Our award-wining island was built with families in mind, just like our ships, with spaces uniquely designed for kids, adults and families. Everything your Clients need for a perfect day at the beach is included, like our all-you-care-to-eat buffet lunch, beach chairs, umbrellas, towels, hammocks and more. Whether you want to soak up the sun on the white sand, embark on a water adventure, explore the island on bike or all of the above, we’ve got them covered.

Things are heating up around Walt Disney World® Resort, quite literally, and one of the best ways to enjoy the beautiful weather is a fun and relaxing day at Disney Water Parks! This spring, we’re rolling out some new offerings that are sure to make your visit to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon or Disney’s Blizzard Beach even more “cool” and magical.

Aside from signature attractions such as Summit Plummet, Crush ‘n’ Gusher and two relaxing lazy rivers, Disney Water Parks offer unique food and beverage options that you won’t want to miss. After a day of splashing around, they’ll also want to get their hands on the new menu items available this season.

You can chow down on the Blizzard Burger at Blizzard Beach, topped with cheddar and a sweet and smoky ham-jam on a pretzel bun, served with cole slaw and steak fries. There are also new plant-based rice bowls, and for dessert, chocolate-dipped key lime pie.

You know what goes perfect with those options? A milkshake! Choose from salted caramel, peppermint, chocolate, or vanilla.

Over at Typhoon Lagoon, munch on the guacamole flight with vegetable, pineapple bacon, and shrimp varieties, or enjoy a jerk chicken rice bowl or a plant-based bratwurst sandwich. And while you are relaxing in the sun, they’ll want to have a Blue Typhoon Colada or Tropical Storm in their hand. 

These are just some of the new food and beverage offerings available at Disney Water Parks.

And your day enjoying Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach just got more convenient, thanks to the new Splash Pack.

For the first time, Guests can bundle and save 20 percent by purchasing the Splash Pack, which includes select food entrées and dessert options, a refillable Disney Water Park mug and a Disney-themed towel to take home. Guests will be able to chose from “Lilo and Stitch,” “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo” and of course, Mickey Mouse-themed towels as a souvenir from their fun-filled, water park day. Available March 26-May 4, 2019, the Splash Packs is $44 per person, plus tax. You can purchase this limited-time, convenient offering at Singapore Sal’s at Typhoon Lagoon or the Beach Haus at Blizzard Beach.

Now it’s easier – and yummier! – than ever to spend a day soaking up the sun at Disney Water Parks. 

It’s been nearly 100 years since the entity that is now The Walt Disney Company was founded and over 80 years since the studio began to produce theatrical length animated films. Thanks to consistent re-releases and the advent of home video and DVD, those movies have remained in regular circulation for that entire time, which means several generations have grown up with these great animated movies and have taken advice from many of them.

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Disney Plus is the upcoming streaming service that will be released in 2019 and will feature content from the worlds of Star Wars, Marvel and Disney itself. The Disney Plus release schedule is beginning to emerge as the network announces shows like The Mandalorian, a new Muppets show and series featuring Marvel characters Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) and Scarlet Witch (Elisabeth Olsen). Disney and Marvel films will also feature on the streaming service.

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Today we’re excited to share that the NBA Experience will officially open Aug. 12, 2019! This all-new destination coming toDisney Springs® will invite you to feel what it’s like to be a bas ketball superstar. This one-of-a-kind environment will be packed with 13 interactive elements and hands-on activities across 44,000 square feet and two floors.

In this new video, Walt Disney Imagineer Stan Dodd shares more insight into what you can expect at NBA Experience, plus hear what has NBA players excited for this all-new destination:

And here are some new details about NBA Experience we’re sharing for the first time:

• When yous enter NBA Experience, they’ll feel like they’re walking through the players’ tunnel out onto the court at an NBA or WNBA arena.
• A ticket to NBA Experience grants you access to every activity in any order they choose, and they can return to stations multiple times to try and improve their performance or learn more about the game, the players and the teams they love.
• In an activity that tests shooting skills, spots will light up on the court as you move from one location to another attempting to sink as many shots as possible in 15 seconds.
• In a slam dunk challenge, you can change the height of a standard 10-foot-tall rim to as low as seven feet so they can perform their own superstar moves – captured by burst photography.
• You can see how they stack up to some of the world’s best basketball players by measuring vertical leap, wingspan, and shooting and dribbling skills.
• Various activities can be personalized with your name and associated with their favorite NBA or WNBA teams, and their stats will be tracked just like a real pro game.
• Real-time technology will aggregate stats of NBA and WNBA games and players for continuous updates, while leaderboards will show top NBA Experience performers throughout the day.

We’ll have more details on NBA Experience leading up to its grand opening, so stay tuned for updates.